Lather up, friends; sun’s out!
The tube I plucked off the shelf was a high-enough SPF, which was all that concerned me in a pinch.
But upon returning to my awaiting family minivan and tossing the tube to my boys, I read their horrified expressions and quickly learned the SPF acronym in the moment stood for Shocked and Pretty Frightened.
Sunscreen… cream.
In a squeeze tube like the olden days.
What’s next, cassette tapes?
My boys have been so spoiled in the sunshine by the convenient spray applications their entire lives, they’d never experienced this sun protection in what I believe the traditional sense, experienced the glory of streaky NO-Ad whiteness in which ‘90s children slathered up, moments prior to the inevitable stickings-on of all the sand so we looked like breaded chicken tenders – happy chicken tenders – with smeared white faces splashing gleefully in the sea with our sparkly pink pails and shovels.
According to the National Library of Medicine, the association between sun exposure and skin cancer was first discovered in the late 1800s, but the creation and commercialization of sunscreen didn’t really burst onto the fun-in-the-sun sandy stage until the late 1970s.
Today, we know everyone’s free to wear sunscreen.
Those of us who were teens a quarter century ago – Yikes! – will remember the informally dubbed ‘Sunscreen song’ by Baz Luhrmann which bestowed words of wisdom, commencement-speech-style, to the Class of ’99 in spoken word which began – and ended – with a nod to sunblock.
Great tips beyond just frosted tips at the turn of Y2K, who knew?
But now that I have a troupe of fair-skinned mini-Cotes of my own, who rely on my husband and me for care and wellness beyond imploring they eat their veggies, we’re keeping sun protection at top of mind – and hats at top of head – so we can enjoy the outdoorsy lives in which we’re immersed.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends varieties SPF 30 or higher that are water resistant with broad-spectrum protection.
Babies younger than six months should be kept from the sun altogether.
The older circuit should use a lotion that screens out both UVA and UVB rays, applied to all skin not covered by clothing – so keep an SPF 30 lip balm at the ready for those lips – and reapply every two hours.
The FDA requires all sunscreens retain original strength for at least three years, so in the spirit of frugal living, shop end-of-summer sales and stock up on next year’s haul.
As for sunscreen types, sprays are often preferred by parents – and apparently all of my kiddos – because of their ease of application, but they are available as creams, gels, and sticks too.
The best sunscreen’s ultimately the one you’ll reapply.
And after our Great Sunscreen Debacle of 2024, it’s back to sprays for days for us.
Remember – There’s never any such thing as a ‘healthy tan.’
Any excessive sun exposure is bad exposure.
This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy our gorgeous outdoors with your family – Maine parks, poolside fun, gardens, lighthouses, trails, rivers, lakes and beaches await at the ready to welcome you warmly – often for free or at little cost.
Just remember to apply sunscreen generously to yourselves and your littles.
You only need an ounce, and you know what they say about an ounce of prevention.
During this month of celebrating independence, remember to not be independent from solid skin care.
Your future self will thank you.
And as my 10-year-old just exclaimed moments ago, ‘We all scream for sunscreen.’
Happy summer!
– Michelle Cote lives in southern Maine with her husband and four sons, and enjoys camping, distance running, biking, gardening, road trips to new regions, arts and crafts, soccer, and singing to musical showtunes – often several or more at the same time! <
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